


Shadows of the Valley

by rockfantasyfan



Category: Iron Maiden
Genre: #slash, Iron Maiden - Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 05:20:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12928356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rockfantasyfan/pseuds/rockfantasyfan
Summary: Janick  falls off the stage in Mannheim Germany.  His closest friend Bruce takes on the role of overseeing his recovery





	Shadows of the Valley

For a brief second, Bruce thought his eyes had played a trick on him. He'd run to the far edge of the stage, sang half a verse, then was running back when suddenly Janick seemed to vanish. One second he had been spinning at the edge of the stage, lost in the music, and the next second he was gone. An almost tangible wave of surprise washed over the crowd. Most were still shouting and singing along but enough had stopped, stunned, that the atmosphere had changed. Glancing at his band mates even as he ran to where he had last seen Jan, he saw surprise and incomprehension on their faces. Steve started moving to investigate as well, but Bruce ran full speed. Panic was already rising in him, he knew something was very wrong.

Peering over the edge of the stage, Bruce felt as though his heart were encased in ice. At least twelve feet below he saw Jan's body sprawled on the concrete floor of the orchestra pit. Three security guards were already hovering over him and more were running that way, but Bruce was frozen to the spot. There was blood. It looked like so much blood. Jan's long golden hair was streaked with red and rivulets ran across his face, his body lying at an awkward, twisted angle. A first aid team was already kneeling at his side before Bruce was jolted back to reality by Steve's grip on his arm.  
"They've got him, they'll take care of him. Can you finish?" He saw the concern in Steve's brown eyes, but he felt a rush of resentment at the very idea of finishing the concert. Of course he couldn't finish! He didn't trust himself to speak, let alone sing.  
Steve shook him, a little roughly. "Pull it together, man. There's nothing we can do. We have to finish the show!"  
Bruce felt as though everything were moving in slow motion as he saw a gurney being brought for Jan, and he was thankful that there was always an ambulance on standby at events such as this. He watched two attendants expertly transfer Jan's unconscious body to the gurney after giving him a quick check over, and he was wheeled away. He felt himself nodding.  
"I'll finish. But this is the last encore!"  
Steve gave a curt nod and returned to his place after giving Bruce's arm a small empathetic squeeze. Bruce couldn't remember later exactly what he said but he briefly told the crowd what had happened, and they picked up the song at the interrupted verse with Ade and Davey making a quick adjustment to cover Jan's absence. His mind wasn't on the music at all and if the lyrics hadn't been so ingrained in him he would have forgotten them. He knew his voice was shaking as he bid the crowd goodnight and ran off stage almost before the echo of his words ended.  
The others were still taking their bow when Bruce charged up to the first person he saw. "Where did they take him?!"  
The poor techie looked frightened out of his wits but thankfully Rod came up then. "He's at the city's largest hospital. I already have a car waiting, come on."  
Bruce shivered as the sweat dried on his skin, and Rod hurriedly covered his shoulders with a terrycloth robe even as they half-ran to the waiting car.  
"How bad? Goddamn it, how badly hurt is he!?" Worry and helplessness were making Bruce lash out in frustration, but the other man took no offence. He knew, as they all did, how close Bruce was to the guitarist. In fact, Bruce often suspected they knew more than they should about his relationship with Jan. There had been many close calls over the years, numerous occasions when they had been a hair's breadth of getting caught in a kiss or an embrace, not to mention the times they had given in and sneaked into one another's bunk on tour busses or each other's hotel room.  
These thoughts were chasing across Bruce's mind during the tense ride to the hospital. So many years with Jan, so much shared between them. So many memories, so much passion, so much love! The traffic was agonizingly slow through the German city and Bruce sat forward on the seat, his hands clasped across his knees so tightly his knuckles were white He kept seeing blood-streaked golden hair in his mind's eye and the unnatural way Jan had been lying, and to try to divert himself he thought back to when he had first met the man who would come to change his life so drastically.  
They had both been scarcely out of their teens, both members of different bands competing in the same club circuit. Their bands had chanced to share a bill one night and from the moment Bruce laid eyes on the slender, blue eyed guitarist he felt as though he'd been hit by a train. It was as though the breath had been punched from his lungs. The way the man moved across the stage, the way his fingers flew across the strings, the way he would close his eyes and tilt his head back as he played struck something in Bruce's hedonistic heart and from that night on there had been no going back.  
"We're here." Rod's words snapped Bruce from his reverie. "Wait here...."  
"Bollocks! Get me to Jan, and get me there now!" Bruce was already halfway out the door.  
Rod knew that tone, and he knew there was no arguing. The two men hurried into the emergency entrance, Bruce oblivious to the strange looks he received for his sweat drenched hair and the robe he still clutched absently around his shoulders. Knowing the singer was too worked up to be patient with formalities, Rod took the lead with inquiries and they were soon led to a small room with a half dozen beds just off the emergency treatment area, all beds except one being empty. At the furthest bed a man and two women were busy around Jan's prone figure. Bruce tore away from Rod's restraining grip and rushed over, his sudden appearance startling the medical personnel.  
"Excuse me sir, are you family?" The man, apparently a doctor, asked in a heavy German accent.  
Before Bruce could form a response, Rod spoke up. "We represent Mr. Gers family, yes. What can you tell us."  
Bruce only heard part of what was being said, something about a concussion, bruising, and a badly sprained back. Jan was awake and looking at him, but his face was devoid of expression. Bruce knew it was because of his injuries, but it still hurt not to see those eyes light up as he looked up at him. His face had been cleaned of blood and white gauze was taped to his forehead, but his hair was still streaked with traces of red.  
"Hey." Bruce said softly, trying without much success to keep the quiver from his voice.  
"Hey." Jan echoed, and Bruce realized he had been given enough pain medication he was positively loopy. "Who's playing my solo?"  
Bruce couldn't suppress a small smile. "Concert's over, mate. How do you feel?"   
"Good! I feel good!" Jan smiled, then gave Bruce a puzzled look. "I don't think I'm supposed to feel good, am I?"  
Bruce had to chuckle in spite of himself. "If it's any consolation I doubt if you'll feel very good tomorrow!"  
Rod came over then after a huddled consultation with the doctor across the room. "Come on, Bruce. They said he needs to rest."  
"I'm not going anywhere!"   
"Okay, okay," Rod held up his hands, placating. "But they're going to take him to a room of his own. Once he's settled in you can stay with him."  
Bruce grudgingly let Rod lead him away as some staff members came in to move Jan to a private room. "I'll be right up to see you, mate!" Bruce reached out and touched Jan's arm as they wheeled him past. Jan gave him a somewhat vague smile in response.  
Once they were out of earshot, Rod filled Bruce in on what he had learned. Jan had struck a metal barrier, he'd been told by those who witnessed the fall, and that was the cause of most of his injuries. In addition to the gash above his eye he also had a deep gash on the back of his shoulder. They were currently analyzing X-Rays of his back but they suspected he had wrenched it quite badly as well.  
'He.....," Bruce cursed himself for the lump in his throat and tried to speak again. "He'll be all right, right? Recover fully, I mean?"  
Rod nodded. "The doctor believes so, yes. We'll have to cancel the next few shows, I'm afraid."  
"Fuck the shows!" Bruce muttered, feeling a twinge of guilt even as he said it. He was as dedicated to the fans as any of them, if not more so, but Jan came first. As the two men were talking in the waiting area Steve and Davey arrived and Rod filled them in. They had taken the time to shower and change before coming, and Bruce was touched to see that Davey brought him the clothes he'd intended to change into after the show himself. Nicko and H had elected not to come for fear of causing a scene if the entire band were recognized but they made Dave and Steve promise to call as soon as they learned Jan's condition. Once he was informed,Davey went to make the call and Steve accompanied Rod and Bruce up to the wing where Jan had been taken. In the elevator Bruce was lost in his own thoughts but snapped to attention when he overheard Steve saying something to the manager, ".....warned him not to dance so bloody close to the edge of the stage!"  
Bruce whirled on the bassist so fast the latter actually jumped in surprise. "Are you saying it's Jan's own fault he's hurt?!"  
"No, Bruce, Christ! I didn't say that. Don't be so bloody overprotective of him! We all know how sensitive you are over him, but he's a grown man!"  
"How sensitive I am over him! What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  
Steve sighed and ran his hand across his face tiredly, "Bruce, I'm tired and you're stressed, so let's not do this now, okay?"  
Bruce just glared at the older man until the elevator doors opened at Jan's floor. After being directed to Jan's room, Steve went with Rod to fill out the required paperwork with the hospital and Bruce entered the private room alone. He noticed Jan had been hooked up to a drip as well as some sort of monitor but he was alone, lying with his eyes closed. Someone had made an attempt to clean and comb out his hair but flecks of rusty red still clung to it and the sight made Bruce's chest constrict. He knew he had turned on Steve as a way of venting his maelstrom of emotions so he drew a chair close to the bed and sat, taking a few deep breaths.  
"Bruce?"  
Bruce had taken Jan's hand and was looking at their intertwined fingers, thinking his friend was asleep, when Jan spoke. He looked up to see Jan looking at him, his eyes clearer now.  
"Yeah?"  
"My head is pounding."  
Bruce smiled. "The meds are wearing off. I can call a nurse to see if you can have some more."  
"Maybe in a minute. I cocked up, didn't I, falling off stage like that?"  
"Any one of us could fall. I've fallen from the catwalks before. As long as you aren't hurt too badly."  
"I don't know how badly I'm hurt. I don't know if I can play the next show."  
"Don't worry about that, we'll work it out. They told Rod you have to stay here a couple of days."  
Just then the door cracked open and Davey peeked in, coming all the way in when he saw Jan was awake. He visited Jan for a couple of minutes, then Steve and Rod came in, also stayed a few minutes.  
"Come on, Bruce, are you coming back to the hotel?" Steve asked as they were leaving.  
"No, I'm staying here."  
Steve have him a long look but didn't say anything, then the three of them left.  
"You should go back to the hotel, Brucie. You don't have to stay with me."  
Bruce smiled to himself at Jan's use of his pet name for him. "I'm staying, and you know there's no use arguing about it!"

A moment later a nurse came in with medication for the guitarist's pain and he almost immediately fell asleep. Bruce remained in the chair and kept his fingers threaded though Jan's. He was exhausted from the show and from the emotional overload he had felt over Jan's fall, but he couldn't relax. The thought kept circling through his mind that he could have lost Jan. People could die instantly from a blow on the head like he had suffered. Or his mind could have been severely injured, he could have become a vegetable. Then there was the back injury. The spine was such a delicate thing, such a fall could have left him paralyzed. Bruce couldn't imagine a Jan who couldn't dance and play, the man was so full of energy, so unfettered and free. The night they had first met so long ago, Jan had been climbing the speaker cabinets, surfing on the strings of his Strat. Wild and free.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
It wasn't so long after that when Bruce learned how truly wild and free Jan was. The young guitarist had been surprised at Bruce's sexual overtures, but intrigued. It took a little while, but he gave in to curiosity and once he did the two of them never looked back, never regretted it. Through marriage, kids, even though Bruce's six year absence from the band the bond they shared only grew stronger.   
Those six years had been the toughest trial they had faced, however, and sometimes he did regret his decision to leave because he'd underestimated how heartbroken Jan would be. Jan had cried and asked Bruce what he had done, what he'd said to make Bruce leave. By then, though, the decision had been made and the announcement went out to the press. Bruce sometimes wondered if he shouldn't have just bitten his lip and placated Steve's dictatorship, but eventually Jan came to accept it and even seemed to understanding, telling Bruce he knew it would have been impossible for him to continue with things as they were with Steve. They had still managed to be together whenever possible, though, and their stolen trysts had been marathon sessions of unbelievable passion. Even now it quickened Bruce's heartbeat to remember those nights.  
Bruce had dozed fitfully in the uncomfortable chair throughout the night, but he was awakened by Jan's touch on his arm as gray morning light filtered through the window.  
"You shouldn't have stayed, Brucie. Please, go back to the hotel and get some sleep. They'll be giving me more medications soon and I'll only go to sleep again."  
"I don't want to leave you," Bruce mumbled, still half asleep.  
"Bruce, go get some sleep." Jan's voice was quiet but firm. "Come back later, but please go get some rest."  
Bruce looked into Jan's eyes. They were clear but he knew his friend was in pain. He also knew Jan wouldn't rest until Bruce did as he asked. He reluctantly gave in and called for the car the band had at their disposal, falling asleep in the back seat before they'd gone six blocks. He was back at the hospital by that afternoon though, Ade and Nicko coming with him but leaving after a half hour or so. Jan looked a little less pale, though he was clearly still uncomfortable. Upon questioning the nurse Bruce was told that Jan was no longer being given pain shots, having been switched to prescription strength Tylenol. Bruce pressed the nurse for more details on Jan's prognosis and was relieved to hear that although he was ordered to rest for at least a week, he could be released as early as tomorrow.   
Once they were alone Jan asked if Bruce had gotten any sleep. "Some," Bruce admitted, "but not much." He had been plagued by visions of Jan covered in blood but he didn't say so. He felt oddly vulnerable and unguarded, his emotions raw. "You gave me a right scare, Jan."   
"I'm okay, you know. I'm tough."  
Bruce nodded. "You are. But I'm not, not if anything were to happen to you."  
Jan chuckled but his voice was soft. "Nothing is going to happen to me, you do far more dangerous things than I do!"  
Bruce just shook his head, looking out the window past Jan's bed, unable to look his friend in the eyes. "I don't know if I've ever let you know," he spoke almost under his breath, "how much you mean to me. " He looked down then, directly into Jan's eyes. "I don't think you know how much I love you."  
Jan couldn't speak for a moment. This was so unlike Bruce and for the first time he realized how badly he really had frightened the singer. He felt himself choke up. "I suppose I do." he managed. "You don't have to say it, Bruce."  
"Yes I do! And I'm going to show it, Harry and the others be damned! As soon as you're out of here I'll take you some place quiet to rest."  
"If you'll be with me, how much rest will I be able to get?" Jan teased. He knew Bruce only too well.  
Bruce laughed a little. "If you can keep your hands to yourself, I promise I will too!"

Jan was released from the hospital the next morning with a list of restrictions to follow. Bruce, Rod, and Steve picked him up and took him back to the hotel where they had been staying, but the other band members were checking out that morning. They had made arrangements as to how to spend their unexpected week-long break after assuring themselves Jan would be all right and wishing him well they departed for their various destinations. Bruce, however, had arranged to have a car and driver at his disposal and had made other arrangements as well. Jan was putting on a brave face but Bruce could tell by his stiff movements that he was still in considerable pain. He also noticed the deep purple bruising on Jan's upper arm and shoulder around the bandage there and the yellowed skin showing around the bandage on his forehead. Once they were in Jan's hotel room, Bruce made him sit down.  
"You sit there and don't move mate, I've already packed most of your things so let me get the last bit around."  
"I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself, Bruce!" It went against Jan's nature to sit while someone else was doing his work for him.  
"Maybe you are, but I'm doing it anyway so you sit right there!" Bruce went about gathering the last few items from the bathroom, stowing them in a travel case. "All right, now take your pain pills, we have a bit of a ride ahead of us so you'll be sitting for an hour or so."  
Jan obeyed with a resigned smile. "An hour? Where are you taking me?"  
"I told you I'm taking you someplace where you can relax. I've rented us a place south of the city."  
"Why can't we just stay here?"  
Bruce went over and helped Jan up, ignoring his protests that he could get up by himself. He could, of course, but Bruce could see the grimace of pain whenever he put any kind of strain on his back. "Because this place is neither quiet enough or private enough. There are dozens of fans outside."  
Leaving the hotel via the tradesman's entrance the driver loaded their bags in the waiting car and they were on their way. Jan was quiet for most of the drive and Bruce looked over at him with concern. He sat awkwardly in the seat, favoring one side, and his face was drawn, his eyes closed. Bruce's heart wrenched. He reached over and took Jan's hand and the blonde opened his eyes, looking at him with a small smile and tightening his fingers around Bruce's.  
When they arrived at their destination, Jan sat upright in surprise. He had a vague idea of a small house somewhere, but this was a 5 star luxury vacation villa on the banks of the Rhine.  
"Brucie, what's all this?"  
"This is our home for the next six days, love. It's fully staffed, all we have to do is relax and let your body heal."  
"Kind of like the place where we stayed after the Millionaire tour, isn't it?" Jan mused. Bruce smiled, remembering. They had rented a beach house together in Spain then, nothing as luxurious as this, but it had been an idyllic time for them. Long days on the beach, long nights making love for hours on end, feeling like they were on top of the world. Judging by Jan's smile Bruce knew he was reminiscing as well.  
That night Bruce got his first look at the condition of Jan's back. He tried to hide it from the singer but Bruce was determined and walked into the bathroom as he was washing up before bed. He couldn't help but gasp. Angry purple bruises spread from the guitarist's shoulder to his hip and the gash in his shoulder, though it hadn't required stitches, was nevertheless frightening to see.  
"It's really not all that bad." Jan said upon seeing Bruce's expression.  
"Then why were you hiding from me?" Bruce chided him with a smile. "Why do you feel you have to put on a brave front? It does no good, you know. I know you well enough, I know you're hurting."  
Jan gave a ghost of a shrug, even that small movement was stiff. "I'm just not comfortable with you seeing me like this." He picked up the loose t shirt he intended to sleep in but Bruce took it from him and helped him pull it over his head, pulling Jan's hair free from the collar and spreading it over his shoulders, stroking the silky strands gently. Jan still looked uncomfortable, refusing to meet his friend's eyes.  
"Jan-ick," Bruce said in a sing song voice, "look at me. Come on, you've been tense all evening and I know it isn't just from pain. You know I won't let it go until you tell me what's really bothering you.?  
Jan swallowed his nightly medication, washing it down with a swig of bottled water, then brushed past Bruce to return to the bedroom. Bruce followed, undeterred, sitting on the bed as Jan cautiously crept beneath the covers. He lay next to his friend and reached out to stroke his hair again. He loved Jan's hair, it was so soft it was unbelievable and it always smelled so sweet.  
"Talk to me, mate," he urged quietly, his fingertips moving from the hair to stroke Jan's cheek.  
Jan sighed. Bruce was the most stubborn, most persistent person he'd ever known. His medication was taking effect and he managed to relax a little, enjoying the touch of the gentle fingers on his face. After a minute, he spoke.  
"It shouldn't have happened, Brucie. I shouldn't have fallen. I was careless and it's cost us a lot of money and disappointed a lot of people. Now you've taken me to this posh place and are being so nice to me when you should be angry with me over being so foolish. I know the others think I brought this on myself by not paying attention to what I'm doing on stage, and they're right!"  
"Who said that?" Bruce's voice held an unmistakable note of anger, his fingers stilling their movements.  
"No one said it out loud but I know it's what Rod's thinking, and Harry too. I saw it in their faces."  
"If they think that then they're damned fools, and I'll tell them so! Although I'm sure they're not thinking anything of the kind." He wouldn't tell Jan what Steve had said in the elevator to that effect. "And as for me, you know perfectly well I would never be angry with you over something like this! Though I will get angry if you don't stop talking foolish ." He resumed stroking Jan's hair then leaned across to kiss his temple.   
Jan smiled, turning his head on the pillow to face the singer. "Thank you, Brucie. For not being angry, and for bringing me here." He reached up and took the singer's hand, kissing his palm. "I love you, you know."  
Bruce smiled and kissed his lips softly. "I know."

 

The next few days saw Jan recovering steadily, his movements less stiff and his pain gradually diminishing although he still had to take pain pills on a regular schedule. As a form of physical rehabilitation, he and Bruce walked the gardens of the villa down to the river's edge, enjoying the solitude and the beautiful summer weather. Bruce was unusually affectionate even for Bruce, holding Jan's hand as they walked and sometimes stopping to simply kiss his friend's cheek. They knew their time there was winding down, they were to return to the tour in Portugal in a few days and though they didn't say it aloud they wanted to savor their remaining time at the villa. On the evening before they were to leave they had their dinner served on the flagstone terrace and Jan was aware of his friend watching him closely.  
"What?" He finally laughed. "You've been staring at me all evening!"  
Bruce had to laugh. He thought he'd been subtle in scrutinizing the guitarist. "I'm just not sure you're ready to go back, mate."  
"I'm fine. Just a twinge now and then."  
"Uh-huh." Bruce wasn't convinced. Jan refused to wear a bandage on his forehead and though the cut had faded it was still glaringly obvious to Bruce, as were the bruises all down his back. How he hadn't broken ribs, Bruce didn't know.   
Jan sighed in mock exasperation. "Brucie I know you're only worried about me but I know what I'm doing. We aren't cancelling any more shows, I can perform."  
The singer merely shook his head.  
"I can prove it. Come on." Jan stood and had Bruce follow him into the house. He thought perhaps Jan was going to get his ever-present guitar and demonstrate some of his moves so he was mildly surprised when Jan led him straight into the bedroom.  
"Jan, what.....?"  
Jan didn't reply, he stopped at the edge of the bed and before Bruce realized it he pushed the singer back, causing him to fall to his back across the bed, crawling over him and straddling him.   
Bruce laughed. "Are you doing what I think you're doing?"  
Jan smirked down at him and began working at his pants "Depends. What do you think I'm doing?"  
"Whatever you're doing, I like it!" Bruce lifted his rear and let Jan slip his pants down . "But are you sure.....?"  
Jan leaned down and shushed him with a kiss. "Just shut up for once, Bruce."  
A moment later Bruce couldn't have formed a sensible sentence if he tried as Jan ran his long fingers through the thick straight hair of his chest and stomach, following with small nips and bites, lower and lower until Bruce felt the moist warmth of the blonde's mouth around him. "Ahh, fuck, Jan, you shouldn't.."  
Jan removed his mouth just for a second. "Didn't I tell you to hush?"  
The singer gave in and lay back, his fingers automatically combing through Jan's soft hair and he let the sensations carry him away. Damn but Jan was good at this, it amazed him every time. Just when he thought he couldn't hold out for another second Jan moved back up his body, kissing him deeply as he removed his own clothing. When he finally guided Bruce into him the brunet was beyond worrying about Jan, beyond anything except the heat, the tightness, the movements, the sounds that all too swiftly led them both to the pinnacle.  
Collapsing against Bruce's sticky chest a few minutes later Jan managed a breathy laugh.  
"Still think I can't perform?"


End file.
